The Knight and His Princess
by shipatfirstsight
Summary: She remembers him, and some things transcend the pain they've caused each other.
1. Chapter 1

**I do not own ****_Revolution_**** just this weird plot bunny.**

_Once upon a time, when the world was much different and there were lights, cars, television, and the Internet, there was a little girl. She did not like to be called little though._

_"Mommy says I'm a big girl now!" She would say, all crossed arms and lowered brows. "I have to be big so that I can help take care of Danny."_

_People would remark on how mature the child was. She accepted her 'responsibility' without question. Behind her parent's backs, though, they would question whether or not the elder Matheson's were doing the right thing. They never said anything to the girl's parent's though._

_Charlotte, for her part, was very happy with her role. She liked to have a job, something to do to make her mom happy after so much sadness. She didn't know why her mom had been so sad, but all that mattered now was that she do whatever she could to alleviate some of it._

_Of course, she didn't know what words like 'alleviate' meant when her grandma said it to her mom, but she knew whatever she was doing was a help. She liked to be helpful._

_It was why she was both surprised and chagrined when her mother passed her off to her uncle for the day. Great tears pooled down her little face, and she sobbed to her confused looking uncle, "But why doesn't mommy want me?"_

_She heard a chuckle, and if she'd been less upset, she would have scowled in the direction of the laugh. How dare someone laugh at her when she was obviously upset?_

_"Miles, you're no good with kids, you know that?" Charlotte poked her head up at him, looked at his soft, smiling face through her tears. Her sobs softened gradually, looking at that smile, and he finally bent down to her level, extracting her from her uncle. "What seems to be the problem?" _

_Her tears welled up again, and in response, he hugged her to his chest, rubbing soothing circles across her back. "Mommy said I was supposed to take care of Danny!" She finally got out, hiccupping through her words. "She sent me away! Didn't I do a good job?"_

_"Oh sweetheart," He said with a soft sigh, pulling back to look at her flushed little face. "Your mommy wanted you to have fun today. I'm sure you do a great job taking care of your brother, but it's okay to have a day to yourself, okay Charlotte?"_

_Both her uncle and the strange man were happy to see her trademark scowl back on her face; the man knew very well that she liked to be called Charlie, but he had a plan in mind. "Today, you don't have to be Charlie. Today you can be Princess Charlotte, and your wish is our demand." He'd set her down somewhere along the way, and he ended his speech with a sweeping bow that brought a small laugh out of the little girl._

_"But what will I call you and Uncle Miles if I'm a princess?"_

_He smiled at her again. "I'll be Sir 'Bastian, and your uncle can be Squire Miles." _

_"Squire, Bass?"_

_"I'm the one that got her to stop crying, aren't I?" Bass hissed out between his teeth at his friend before looking back at the girl expectantly. _

_"Anything I want?" She asked with a quirked brow._

_"Anything." Bass said with a nod._

_And they did anything the girl wanted. They took her to the park and the zoo and for more ice cream than any of them could really stand. They went and caught fireflies and walked through the park again so that she could see the stars 'closer up.' Her valiant knight, Sir 'Bastian scooped her into her arms and soothed away her tears once more when she fell and scrapped her knee. Bass decided more ice cream was in order after that, to which Miles only rolled his eyes. _

_When they returned her that night to her parent's, she was happy and asleep._

_Miles was relieved as they left his brother's house. For the first time in months, Bass was smiling again._

*****Fifteen Years After the Blackout*****

It was a mistake. A slip of the tongue. She'd been dreaming of that day again, and thinking about it. She couldn't be blamed for calling him 'Bastian (she thanked whatever gods may or may not exist that she did not add the 'sir'). It was the first time though that she let him know she remembered their past. That she remembered him from before the time when she thought of him as a monster. The time that she thought of him as her knight in shining armor.

It would be easier if he stopped saving her all the damn time.

And yeah, sure. He was more avenging knight than knight in shining armor at this point. But he kept saving her and she kept dreaming of that first meeting between them.

When he saved her again, she couldn't help the soft, "Thank you 'Bastian," that slipped out of her mouth. She was glad she withheld the girlish urge to kiss his cheek, a move that would be so unlike her; but she couldn't fight off the embarrassment that flooded her veins when she saw his eyes widen in shock.

_Shit. Shit. Shit. _It became a litany in her head, a constant loop in her head every time she saw him over the next two weeks.

Charlie avoided him. She had a ready-made excuse to leave whenever he entered the room. She slept as far from him as she could. Miles and Rachel didn't question it; her feelings toward Bass changed week to week it seemed, so no one thought twice about her sudden change from sleeping close to him and going on every mission with him, to not wanting to even look at him.

At least, she thought no one questioned it, until she came across her uncle and her long lost knight shouting angrily at each other and she hid so that she could understand what was going on.

"What did you do to her, you son of a bitch? What did you do, huh?" Miles pushed Bass into the tree every few words, anger clear in every motion.

"I didn't do anything to her!" Bass shouted back, frustration clear in his voice. "I don't know why she's mad at me." He said, calmer now, but a deep sadness entered his face. "I just don't know."

Miles seemed to believe his old friend, for once, and let him go with the order for Bass to, "fix it before I make you."

Charlie sighed, and stepped out of her hiding place as soon as she was sure her uncle was out of earshot. Bass' eyes widened at the sight of her. She gave him a tentative smile, trying to apologize without really saying it. "Hey."

"Charlotte." It was short, curt. "You've been avoiding me."

"You noticed."

"I notice a lot about you."

She suppressed a shiver at what his tone suggested. _That_ was a matter for another time. "I remember." She said simply.

"I gathered," he responded with a tentative smile.

"You gonna keep saving me?"

"Anything my lady wants."

She finally allowed herself to smile at that, stalking closer to him. "Anything?"

"Anything."

And maybe they couldn't go back to the way things were or who they'd been before the blackout. But Charlie was starting to realize that there were some parts in all of them that remained the same. "Kiss me." She breathed, making up her mind, and her knight gladly obeyed.

**A/N: So I am trying to delve into new fandoms, and I really love Charloe, but I'm not sure I'm doing them justice? Let me know how I did, and any suggestions are more than welcome. You can follow me on tumblr at .com if you want. This should be either a two-shot or a three-shot, and smut may be coming so the rating might be upped.**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: So basically, this started off as a plotless headcannon that grew a plot somewhere along the way… all that to say, I'm still not entirely sure where I'm going with this at all. At this point, it is an AU to season 2, though I'm not really going to go into detail of how the group got to the point they're at (unless it is requested). **

**Disclaimer (and I apologize for not saying it last time): I do not own ****_Revolution _****or the characters you find in here. **

There was a time when Bass would have said that he cared for no one and nothing (it would have been a lie, but he still would have said it if only to convince himself). Now, so much had changed in the blink of an eye. He had Miles back (sort of), and Rachel didn't seem to be plotting his death (at least, not that he could tell; maybe there was a reason for all her pleasant niceties, but he forced those thoughts down. The last time he'd let himself go down the paranoid route, it hadn't ended well for anyone), Aaron had even started to warm up to him (it may have been because one of them brought up their favorite super hero, and the rest was history).

And of course there was Charlotte; not his, she would never be _his_. She was her own, but he was glad she was letting him be a part of her life. She was letting him be a part of her, and maybe he was letting her be a part of him as well.

After that first kiss, they'd snuck off a few times for a good, old-fashioned make out session. They didn't have the time, or the privacy, for anything else at the moment, not with Patriots breathing down their necks. Not to mention the occasional bounty hunter or the hostile townsperson thinking to get the slip up on the 'defenseless' outsiders.

They were constantly watching their backs, so all they had time for was the occasional kiss. Not that kissing her was anything short of perfection, he just... hadn't gotten laid in a while and his body was none to happy with the continual celibacy.

There were other problems though. The son Miles had hid from him being at the forefront of Bass' mind.

He'd wanted a family for so long, had craved intimacy, that it was hard to wrap his mind around the possibility of having _everything_ that he wanted (well, almost everything; there was a part of him that still longed for his power back, but he could get over that, right?).

But see, he had quite an inner conflict.

His son.

Or the girl that he might actually have a shot with.

Did he want to pursue a son that might have a life? A family of his own? Did he want to come sweeping in and ruin whatever his son had?

Did he want to leave Charlotte when she so obviously had issues with people leaving her? When he'd sworn to himself that he wouldn't do that to her? That she would have to either send him away or kill him to get him to leave her?

He wasn't sure if he wanted to risk her trust, trust that had been hard won, to pursue a child that might not have survived this long, who might not even like Bass. There were enough people that _didn't _like him for him to not want to rule out that possibility.

Did he want his son to never know his father?

These thoughts plagued him for weeks, made him distracted. Which wasn't a good thing for the ex-general, especially not when their little group was attacked. Oh, he killed the Patriot coming at him from the front just fine. It was the one that came from behind, the one that had he not been thinking of other things he would have sensed, that very nearly ended him.

Charlotte proved much more observant than he; Bass only noticed the second Patriot when he heard the man's grunt of pain as he hit the ground, an arrow clear through his chest.

Both Miles and Charlotte shot him worried looks (curse them both for knowing him and his fighting style so well), but he brushed them off. At least Rachel and Aaron didn't seem to care one-way or the other. They were a bit engrossed in what the Patriots were doing all the way out in the middle of nowhere.

It _was _worrying.

Didn't they have a country to unite? Militia's to topple? Restoring the grander of the US of A and all that?

"Bass." Miles called, jogging slightly to catch up with Bass who had departed from the group to go down to the stream to clean off his sword and get a drink. "What was that?"

There was something satisfying in hearing the worry in Miles' voice after going so long only hearing scorn. Bass wasn't too proud to admit that he relished in that for a moment, the gradual return of the old camaraderie. He was too proud, however, to admit why he'd been distracted. "I don't know."

Miles stared at him for a hard minute before crossing his arms and giving him one of his classic un-amused looks. "Bull shit."

"If I asked you to drop it would you?"

"You really don't know me, do you?"

"Miles."

"Bass."

Bass sighed; sooner or later one of them would have to admit defeat, and he had a sinking feeling it was going to be him. "I don't know what to do, Miles."

Confusion entered Miles' gaze. "About what, Bass? You're rusty fighting skills?"

He gave a short laugh, raising a hand to cover his face and then pinch the bridge of his nose. "My son. Charlotte. You. This damned group of people where I feel happy for the first time since you left and I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop."

"You can't live your life that way, buddy." Miles said, putting a hand on his shoulder. "You'll figure the rest out." He turned to walk away at that, but turned back before Bass could really think on what he'd said. "Though I will tell you that if you think you and Charlie are being secretive about your little make out sessions, you're wrong. If you hurt her, I will kill you, brother or not."

"Where's my son, Miles?"

"Are you going to rush off to get him the moment I tell you?"

"I haven't decided yet."

Miles stalked closer to him at that. "Did you ever think for just one damn second that maybe I don't want to lose you again either?" With that he whirled around, and was gone before Bass could get a word out.

He turned back to the water and breathed out through his nose. It seemed things could get more complicated.

He wasn't sure how long he stood there (far longer than he should have). He wasn't sure if he was glad or angry that everyone was giving him some much needed space. He wasn't sure if he wanted to be alone with his thoughts though.

Every time he considered leaving his… group?.. friends?... family? a pang went through his chest. Even though any one of them could put a knife through his chest at any given moment (and yeah, maybe they had every right to), he liked it here with all of them. Well, not there specifically. Wherever they ended up, he liked being with them. Arguing with them, hunting with them, even protecting them. For the first time in a very long time, he felt like he was following a good purpose.

But every time he considered staying and not going to his son, the pain was the same. Could he really abandon his own flesh and blood?

"Bass?"

He'd heard her footfalls, but he'd let her be the first to break the silence. "Yeah?"

"You okay?" She'd gotten closer to him, close enough to put a hand on his shoulder. "I wanted to come out before, but Miles said you needed some time to yourself."

Bass laughed shortly. "He knows about us, you know." He turned his head slightly to see her reaction and was a bit surprised to see a small smile play on her lips. Lips he wanted to kiss so badly.

"I figured. Was that what was bothering you?"

"No." When he didn't add more, she came to stand in front of him.

"Then what is it." She asked, but it sounded more like an expectation for a response; she threw her hands out to her side and looked like she was ready to rain holy terror down on him if he dared to not answer her.

"I have a son." She knew that of course, and her answering glower said that his response was not good enough, but he pressed on. "And I don't know if I should go and find him or if I should stay here with all of you."

_I don't want to leave you_.

She straightened her jaw, but her features relaxed otherwise, her hands falling down at her sides. "There's a simple solution to that problem you know."

"Oh?" He asked, intrigued, his brow raised in expectation.

"Umhmmm. You _could_, hypothetically, ask us to come with you."

When she said it, it sounded so simple, and he was ashamed that he hadn't thought of it before. Of course he could ask them to come with him. And if they didn't want to, at least he could ask them to rendezvous with him somewhere.

"Charlotte." He smiled, closing the distance between them, placing a hand on her cheek. He didn't miss how she leaned into his touch. "Will you help me find my son?" He didn't give her time to answer, though. Bass lowered his head down, until his lips finally met hers. Softly, the gentlest of kisses. When they pulled away, she was finally smiling at him.

"Who else is going to make sure you don't get yourself killed?"

**A/N: I realized that my tumblr URL didn't show up right. My user name is bassymonroe, and you can find me and follow me if you'd like (or ask me questions about this fic; pressure me to write the next chapter; etc).**

**Thank you all for the lovely reviews last chapter, and I hope you liked this one as much!**


	3. Chapter 3

_The girl had always been observant. She knew when Danny was sick, well sicker than usual, and needed to go to the doctor's. She knew when her mother and father were fighting, even if she didn't always know why; she knew how they're voices changed, the lies they told when they sought to dissuade her from asking more questions. And she knew, somehow, that all was not well with the man who had designated himself her knight._

_He was at her house (so was Uncle Miles, but they could both here the yelling going on downstairs, and neither wanted to venture down) and had offered to once more do whatever she wanted to do. Today, it was simple; she wanted to color, and needed his help._

_"I'm not good at that staying in the lines stuff." She whispered conspiratorially in his ear, giggling slightly. He gave her a small smile, and agreed readily to the mission she set out for him. _

_"'Bastian?" She asked after several minutes, her brow lowered in childish concern. "Why do you look so sad?"_

_He paused._

_His whole body became still, and she wondered if maybe he needed to go to the doctor._

_He sighed heavily._

_"I—I had two other princesses," He paused, and she noted with concern that he sounded like her mother did right before she cried. Charlotte floundered; she never knew what to do when anyone cried. "Their names were Angela and Cynthia."_

_"What happened to them?"_

_His shoulders shook slightly, and she didn't know, couldn't know, but he was doing his best to repress his tears. He went so long without answering that she thought he never would._

_"I couldn't save them from the monster."_

How was he to know that for a long time he would become the monster she feared the most?

"What're you thinking about?" Charlie interrupted his musings.

He took his eyes off the road for a moment, loosened his grips on the reigns he was holding, to turn towards her (and he would never admit it but stealing a wagon with her? Got him all kinds of hot and bothered every single damn time). "Remember that second time I came to your house when you were little?"

She groaned in embarrassment. "And I made you color."

He threw back his head and laughed. "Can you imagine the look on Neville's face if he ever found out that I colored?"

Charlie joined him in laughing. But then she sobered remembering what else had happened that day. "Were Angela and Cynthia you're sisters?"

His laughter cut off abruptly, a muscle in his jaw twitching.

"I'm sorry." She was quick to say. "You don't have to answer that if you don't want to."

"No, it's um, it's fine. I just—God, I haven't even thought about them in so long. Yeah, they were my sister's. I'm surprised you remembered their names."

Oh she remembered everything about that day, Miles and Bass coming over. Her mom and dad and Miles getting into a screaming match.

She didn't see Miles or Bass after that, not until all this happened. She never knew what that argument had been about; even now she lacked the courage or whatever to ask. All she knew was that after that fight, her mom didn't come home for weeks. When she did come back, they all acted like everything was fine and normal, and all of Charlie's questions were dodged.

"Sometimes I just pretend that I forgot everything pre-Blackout, you know? It made it easier to just live in the world I had to live in."

He nodded his head in understanding.

"What happened to them, if you don't mind me asking?"

"Car crash before the Blackout." He tried—and failed—to sound stoic. Charlie, in an uncharacteristic need to comfort him in some way, leaned her body against his. Tentatively, he took the reigns in one hand and moved his other arm to wrap around her body, pulling her tighter against him.

She was glad she was able to talk Miles and Rachel (and by extension Aaron and the newly returned Gene) out of coming with them.

Well, really she guilted them into letting her go with Bass and then talked them out of going.

"Bass?"

"Hmmm?"

"Does it ever get any easier?"

He looked at her sharply at her words, concern etched into his features, but she pretended not to see. She kept looking ahead, and after a while, he turned his head back to the road in front of them. "Not for me. I don't know if I ever will….there's some things you can't get over, Charlie. Losing a parent, siblings? " He stopped, sighing, an ancient sadness clear in his voice. "It hurts like hell. There's nothing quite like it."

They fell silent after that for a long while, both lost to their thoughts.

"There was a girl," Bass said suddenly, breaking the silence, and Charlie nearly jumped at his voice after so long of quiet. "A few years after the blackout. Shelly. We… we had a baby. Well, we were going to." He broke off rather suddenly, and she pushed away from his body (she almost blushed to realize she had forgotten she was leaning on him) to look at him questioningly.

"What happened to them?" She knew about the kid they were going after now; all it took was getting a little whiskey in Miles and he spilled the whole story. Another child though?

"They died."

She inhaled a sharp breath at that; he had tried to sound caviler, but his voice broke, ruining the effect. She wasn't sure if she was more surprised that they were dead, or that it seemed to have such a profound effect on Bass. She was still sort of getting used to him not being the Monroe she knew and hated. "You've lost so many people."

"I—" He started, before stopping and taking a deep breath. "I don't want to lose anyone else, Charlie."

"That's why you want to find your son."

He nodded briskly at her statement. "He's the only family I have left. I mean there's Miles, but we were never really family and I don't know if we can get past everything that happened between us."

Charlie sighed. "I think he's more upset that he can forget everything that happened between you. I'm sure he'll get over it eventually."

"And you?" He asked as he reigned in the horses and then turned towards her. "Can you get over what I did?" There was a deep desperation in his eyes, but Charlie couldn't tell if he wanted her to forgive him or hold him accountable.

"I don't know." She said, honestly. "And I don't know if I want to."

"I see," he murmured, moving to get off the wagon, but she stopped him.

"What I do know is that whatever we have here? I want to see where it goes. I want to have this with you. You hurt me in the past, but so did my mom, Miles, Aaron… we've all hurt people. I've killed people. There are people that could hate me for that. I don't want to be angry for the rest of my life, though, and there's nothing I want more than to be with you and try and make this work." She was out of breath by the end of her speech, and he was looking at her incredulously.

"Nothing?" He asked, scooting across the street closer to her. "Not even to, say, destroy the Patriots? Get our lives back?"

She shook her head, and he smiled. One of his hands moved up to cup her cheek and pull her closer to him, and she smiled back at him. Their lips crashed together, and Charlie was convinced.

She might never get over what had happened to Danny or her dad, but Bass was not the man he had once been.

And she might have been falling in love with him.

**A/N:**

**I've decided this will be the last chapter; thank you every one for reading and reviewing. I'm working on something else that will be both darker and smuttier, so I hope you'll check that out! **


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